Richardson ISD trustees vote to postpone May election to November

Richardson ISD trustees voted unanimously via a March 30 video conference to postpone the May election to Nov. 3.

The decision comes as school districts and municipalities across Texas delay elections due to coronavirus concerns. Earlier this month, RISD announced the indefinite closure of schools districtwide.

The District 3 seat held by outgoing incumbent Kristin Kuhne and the At-Large Place 6 seat held by Board President and trustee Justin Bono are up for election. Both incumbent trustees have announced their intent to retire at the end of their terms.

Two candidates, Eric Eager and Bridgett Hudson, have filed for Bono’s seat. Debbie Renteria is running unopposed in the race for District 3.

Dallas County Elections Department informed RISD officials in March that it would not be administering the May election and encouraged the district to postpone till November, Superintendent Jeannie Stone said.

As the deadline to file has passed, no other candidates will be allowed to join the race, according to RISD’s General Counsel Mia Martin. This means the board will be short one trustee once Kuhne’s term is up in May. Kuhne is also no longer eligible to hold her seat once because she does not live in District 3, Martin said.

“Certainly this would not have been my choice if I had been able to be a hold-over, but that’s not what the law requires,” Kuhne said.